Safety catheter device with removably attached housing

Abstract

A safety catheter device includes a catheter hub, a housing removably coupled to the catheter hub; a needle, and a member, the housing including a radially outwardly directed projection operable to engage the interior aspect of the catheter hub and radially moveable inwardly sufficiently to disengage therefrom, the projection being held against moving radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage when the needle is in a first position with the needle distal tip exposed and being free to move radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage coincident with the needle being moved into a second position with the needle distal tip disposed in the housing.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A safety catheter device comprising;
 a catheter hub having a proximal end and a distal end and an interior aspect therebetween; 
 a catheter tube extending from the distal end of the catheter hub; 
 a needle having a shaft terminating in a distal sharp tip; 
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing being removably coupled to the catheter hub; and 
 a member having a proximal end with an aperture and a distal end, the member being disposed distal of the housing proximal end and proximal of the catheter tube, the housing and the member adapted to slidably receive the needle therethrough between (a) a first position with the needle shaft extending through the aperture of the member and distally of the member distal end through the catheter tube with the needle distal tip exposed out therefrom and the member distal end bearing against the needle shaft, and (b) a second position with the needle shaft removed from the catheter tube, the needle distal tip disposed within the housing proximal of the housing distal end and proximal of the member distal end, and with the needle shaft extending through the aperture of the member, the member distal end being proximal of the housing distal end with the needle in the second position and being operable to maintain the needle distal tip within the housing after the needle has moved from the first position to the second position; 
 the housing including a radially outwardly directed projection and a support being positioned radially inwardly of the projection and extending proximally thereof, the projection being operable to engage the interior aspect of the catheter hub and radially moveable inwardly sufficiently to disengage therefrom, the projection being held against moving radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage when the needle is in the first position and being free to move radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage coincident with the needle being moved into the second position, 
 the housing defining a passageway portion starting at a distal-most end of the housing and extending proximally along the support, the passageway portion being distal of the needle in the second position, no part of the housing defining the passageway portion being in direct contact with the needle in the first position. 
 
     
     
       2. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the member distal end being proximal of the housing distal end and the projection with the needle in the second position. 
     
     
       3. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the radially outwardly projection being deflectable against the interior aspect of the catheter hub so as to come away therefrom. 
     
     
       4. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the distal end of the member bearing against the shaft of the needle with the needle in the first position. 
     
     
       5. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the distal end of the member including a wall with an aspect thereof bearing against the shaft of the needle with the needle in the first position. 
     
     
       6. The safety catheter of  claim 5 , the wall blocking the tip of the needle in the second position of the needle. 
     
     
       7. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the distal end of the member including a wall, the wall blocking the tip of the needle in the second position of the needle. 
     
     
       8. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , in the first position of the needle the distal end of the housing situated inside the catheter hub and the proximal end of the housing situated outside of the catheter hub. 
     
     
       9. The safety catheter of  claim 8 , the housing including a distally projecting arm supporting the radially outwardly projection, the distally projecting arm extending distally into the catheter through the proximal end thereof 
     
     
       10. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the housing including a distally projecting arm supporting the radially outwardly projection, the distally projecting arm extending distally into the catheter through the proximal end thereof 
     
     
       11. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the member being disposed in the housing. 
     
     
       12. The safety catheter of  claim 11 , the member being an active element. 
     
     
       13. The safety catheter of  claim 12 , the active element being a clip. 
     
     
       14. The safety catheter of  claim 12 , the active element having a portion biased against the shaft of the needle with the needle in the first position. 
     
     
       15. The safety catheter of  claim 14 , the active element portion blocking the tip of the needle in the second position of the needle. 
     
     
       16. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the housing and the member being separate components. 
     
     
       17. The safety catheter of  claim 16 , the member being contained within the housing. 
     
     
       18. The safety catheter of  claim 1 , the member distal end being proximal of the housing distal end with the needle in the first position. 
     
     
       19. A safety catheter device comprising;
 a catheter hub having a proximal end and a distal end and an interior aspect therebetween; 
 a catheter tube extending from the distal end of the catheter hub; 
 a needle having a shaft terminating in a distal sharp tip; 
 a housing having a proximal end and a distal end, the housing being removably coupled to the catheter hub; and 
 a member having a proximal end with an aperture and a distal end, the member proximal end being separate and movable relative to the housing proximal end, the member being disposed proximal of the catheter tube, the housing and the member adapted to slidably receive the needle therethrough between (a) a first position with the needle shaft extending through the aperture of the member and distally of the member distal end through the catheter tube with the needle distal tip exposed out therefrom and the member distal end bearing against the needle shaft, and (b) a second position with the needle shaft removed from the catheter tube, the needle distal tip disposed within the housing proximal of the housing distal end and proximal of the member distal end, and with the needle shaft extending through the aperture of the member, the member distal end being proximal of the housing distal end with the needle in the second position and being operable to maintain the needle distal tip within the housing after the needle has moved from the first position to the second position; 
 the housing including a radially outwardly directed projection and a support being positioned radially inwardly of the projection and extending proximally thereof, the projection being operable to engage the interior aspect of the catheter hub and radially moveable inwardly sufficiently to disengage therefrom, the projection being held against moving radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage when the needle is in the first position and being free to move radially inwardly sufficiently to disengage coincident with the needle being moved into the second position, 
 the housing defining a passageway portion starting at a distal-most end of the housing and extending proximally along the support, the passageway portion being distal of the needle in the second position, no part of the housing defining the passageway portion being in direct contact with the needle in the first position. 
 
     
     
       20. The safety catheter device of  claim 19 , the member proximal end being rotatable relative to the proximal end of the housing.